Maternity garment



Nov. 23, 1948. R. M.MAHONEY MATERNITY GARMENT Filed Oct. 25, 1945nvvewroe Rum M MAHO/VEY er Patented Nov. 23, 1948 UNITED S TATES PATEN TOFFICE MATERNITY GKRMENT Ruth M. Mahoney, SantaMon-ica, Calif.Application October 25, 194-5, Scr'iailNo. 624,453

2 Claims. 1

My invention relates to a maternity garment and an important object isto have such a garment that comprises a skirt that will continue to hangproperly across the front with the progressive expansion of the wearersgirth.

Another object of the invention is to provide complete freedom ofexpansion in such a garment, around the girth.

A further objectis to provide a maternity garment in which thedistanceffrom the shoulders to the waistline may be progressivelylengthened during the pregnancy period.

Still another object in a garment of the character described is that theweight thereof may be carried from the shoulders-of the wearer.

My invention also has for its objects to provide such a garment that isat all times comfortable to wear, convenient to put on and take off,economical to make, relatively simple and of general superiority andserviceability.

The invention also comprises novel details of I construction and novelcombinations and arrangements of parts, which will more fully appear inthe course of the following description. However, the drawings merelyshow and the following description merely describes one embodiment ofthe present invention, which is given by way of illustration or exampleonly.

In the drawings, like reference characters designate similar parts inthe several views.

Fig. 1 is a front elevational View of a garment embodying the foregoingobjects, shown in a partially expanded position.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of same.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation showing the garment in a normal ornon-expanded position.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the garment without the front portion ofthe skirt.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged section taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 2.

In the drawings the garment is shown without sleeves since the sleevesmay be of any desired shape, size or style, or may be omitted entirely.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, the reference number Igenerally indicates the back portion of a maternity garment. A frontportion, which is really the front portion of the waist or bodice, isindicated at 8 and as being stitched to the back portion 1 along thesides by seams 9. Seams i0 connect the back and front portions to eachother on the shoulders.

The normal waistline is suggested at l2 in Fig.

4, '!1*-.1. :2baokportion 7 is intended to form the backp'ortionof thegarment to the lower hem 20. front portion 8 extends below the waistlineM te-include a tail t3that terminates at a point intermediate the lengthof the back portion and is stitched to theback portion down to thebottom of the tall 1 3. "I'hearm holes are suggested at".

The front 15 of the skirt' portion is sewn to the back portion l of thegarment along the lower portion of the seam 9 approximately from thepoint l t downward to the bottom hem of the garment. A belt H may beattached along the top of the front portion t5 of the skirt, as bystitching 2|, but is free of the back portion of the garment. The beltmay be tied at the back, as suggested at 18. The belt I is not attachedto the front 8 of the waist or bodice, nor to the back portion 1.

It will be noted that the edge portions of the skirt front l5, from thepoints l6 upward, are free from attachment to either the front portionof the waist or bodice or the back portion 1 of the garment (exceptindirectly by the belt IT). This provides in effect a loose bib [9 infront of the area Where progressive increase in the girth takes placeduring pregnancy.

In the use of my present garment, the skirt is self-adjusting by reasonof the loosening of the bib l9. As the pregnancy advances, the bib 19may be swung forward and the angle or gap increased between the lateraledges of the bib l9 and the substantially vertical, side seam 9. It isto be understood that the tail I3 is initially made with sufficientmaterial to take care of whatever expansion of the girth is necessary.In the earlier stages, the front portion 8 may be gathered, within thebelt H, which gathering becomes less and less in the latter stages. Thelower edge of the tail l3 hikes up in the latter stages. The beginningof this change of position is shown at l3 in Fig. 2.

It is believed that it is clear without further illustration that thebelt I! may be held by any suitable fastening means, instead of tyingsame, and moreover. that the skirt may also be either a wrap-around or adraw-string type, providing the skirt is fastened to the waist or bodiceat the back only and has a loose tail on the waist or bodice at thefront.

In addition, it is believed clear that the waist or bodice (both ofwhich are included in the term Waist in the hereto appended claims) mayopen down the front or back, if desired, and that the waist or bodicemay be eliminated above the line I2, and provide a garment in which allthe features shown at or below such line are included.

While I have illustrated and described what I now regard as thepreferred embodiment of my invention, the construction is, of course,subject to modifications without departing from the spirit and scope ofmy invention. I, therefore, do not wish to restrict myself to theparticular form of construction illustrated and described, but desire toavail myself of all modifications that may fall within the scope of theappended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is:

1. A maternity garment comprising an upper back portion and a back skirtportion, a front upper waist portion having a lower extensionterminating a substantial distance below the waistline and having itsside edges secured to the side edge portions of the back, said upperfront waist portion being more than one-half of the circumfeernce of thegarment at the waistline so as to provide fullness thereat, a frontskirt portion for said garment extending downwardly from the waistline,said front skirt portion being connected to said back portion along itsvertical marginal edges from a point adjacent the bottom of said frontwaist portion to the bottom of the garment, the upper side edges of saidlower front skirt portion being free and unattached to form a biboverlying the lower part of the upper front waist portion, and beingadapted for adjustment in a direction away from the back of the garmentas the full upper waist portion is expanded to accommodate differentsizes of girth, and means for adjustably securing said bib about thewaist.

2. A maternity garment comprising an upper back portion and a back skirtportion, a front minating a substantial distance below the waistline andhaving its side edges secured to the side edge portions of the back,said upper front waist portion being more than one-half of thecircumference of the garment at the waistline so as to provide fullnessthereat, a front skirt portion for said garment extending downwardlyfrom the waistline, said front skirt portion being connected to saidback portion along its vertical marginal edges from a point adjacent thebottom of said front waist portion to the bottom of the garment, theupper side edges of said lower front skirt portion being free andunattached to form a bib overlying the lower part of the upper frontwaist portion, and being adapted for adjustment in a direction away fromthe back of the garment as the full upper Waist portion is expanded toaccommodate different sizes of girth, and a belt secured to the uppermarginal edge of said bib and being adapted to extend about the back ofthe garment, the free ends of the belt being adapted to be adjustablysecured together to permit the girth of the garment to be extended.

RUTH M. MAHONEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,037,270 Lefkowitz Sept. 3, 19121,079,552 Herman Nov. 25, 1913 1,174,316 Hartman Mar. '7, 1916 1,184,475Miles May 23, 1916 2,157,932 Glover May 9, 1939 2,352,886 Clark July 4,1944

